Steve Ward & Associates Blog

A couple of weeks ago we posted a general overview of hospital headwall systems. If you haven’t checked it out yet, I highly recommend doing so! Today we want to dive in a little further and specifically discuss how hospital headwalls can effectively provide improved patient care.

For anyone that has spent time in a hospital, whether it was for themselves or a loved one, you know the amount of equipment and supplies that are utilized in order to provide proper care. A hospital headwall is an architectural feature that combines electrical and medical gas functions while effectively managing cords and tubing. Ultimately, the primary goal of a hospital headwall is to reduce clutter, effectively managing all patient care accessories and improving the room aesthetic.

So let’s dive in! Here are just a few ways in which hospital headwall systems provide improved patient care:

Reduced Trip Hazard

With cords, tubing and electrical wiring neatly secured in the headwall, there are far less obstacles for patients to maneuver around. This is incredibly beneficial as many statistics claim at least ⅓ of adults 65 or older trip and fall annually. That number steadily increases as the age of the patients increases. This is a real hazard that headwalls effectively reduce.

2. Reduced Time to Provide Care

A properly designed headwall aides a medical professional in providing fast and proper care. With easy access to outlets and equipment, a headwall provides easy access to multiple resources enabling efficient patient care. Saving time also saves lives.

3. Improved Patient Comfort

Hospital headwall systems often include nurse call buttons, bed rails, storage and other equipment within a patient's reach so they do not have to leave their bed for help, improving comfort and safety.

4. Aesthetics

forWard® headwall systems are customizable, flexible and offer hundreds of woodgrain options to give your space a sophisticated and relaxing ambience, ideally reducing stress and anxiety in a patient room.

5. Quiet

Unique to the forWard® headwall system, it carries an STC rating of 51 as compared to typical drywall partitions which carry a 45 STC rating. These superior acoustical properties assist in the desire for a “quiet” hospital, increasing patient privacy.

We could honestly go on and on about the benefits of hospital headwall systems. Here at SWA, we are very passionate about this particular product due to the effect it can have on a project and the overall patient experience.

Do you have an upcoming project that may need headwalls? Download our forWard Headwall Brochure for more information!